Tuesday, May 14, 2013

When
in Vigan, you should try their specialty, and the Vigan Empanada is a must try
and also must take home as your pasalubong. I have tried the Empanada in Ilocos
Norte, but they say that the original is here in Vigan, the difference is that
the color orange emapanda belongs to Ilocos Norte and then the color yellow
empanada is the original Vigan Empanada.
There’s a vendor in Baluarte
selling freshly cooked empanada to visitors, I invited my blogger friends to
check out the vendor and also have a chat with them too.

We
visited Empanada sa Baluarte store, and after we witness the process of making
the empanada, we ordered some for take out.

They use that blue PVC pipe
as their rolling pin to thin down the empanada mold. Then they will add veggies
and a fresh egg, they will close the mold and throw it in a hot boiling
oil.

It
cooks so fast and you’ll see the cooked empanada floating in hot oil

Here’s
the vendor continuously adding more egg to the veggies with flour.
You can
buy the empanada for only Php35

We
also heard a story from the vendor that in Vigan, there are few makers of Vigan
Empanada, the original makers are vanishing and they have a handful of makers of
original Vigan Empanada, the one we visited here is one of the 2nd generation
empanada makers. News that they are avoiding to share the techniques to others
because there’s this incident that a business man offered work to this original
empanada maker to put up a business in Manila. And then when the empanada
business went boom! they fired the original empanada maker and went home
penniless.. hmmm I wonder what Empanada store is that..

Also
they make and sell freshly cooked Okoy

It’s
a patty made of seafood and veggies.
yummy din ito noh!

How to go here in
Vigan City, Ilocos Sur
1. There are two travel options – ride the 8 hour
bus from Manila to Ilocos Sur or ride the plane go Laoag City Airport in Ilocos
Norte + 1 1/2 land travel to Vigan.
2. We went here via chartered plane of
Gov. Chavit Singson, we landed at Vigan City airport, if you have a company trip
and want to travel by air, you can try a chartered plane by Sea Air, just
inquire to their office on how to get a chartered plane.
3. Air - Domestic
flights leave Manila daily for Laoag City in Ilocos Norte, which is an hour and
a half ride by bus or arranged vehicles to Vigan. The city can be reached from
Laoag City via Partas Bus, Fariñas Transportation, Maria De Leon Bus Lines, RCJ
Bus Lines, F. Franco Trans, and Florida Bus. – Via http://www.vigancity.gov.ph
4. By
Land - The 408 km stretch from Manila to Vigan City is a comfortable eight-hour
ride along the scenic Manila-Ilocos Highway. Air-conditioned Partas Bus,
Dominion Bus, Aniceto Bus and Viron Transit ply the Manila-Vigan route
regularly. – Via http://www.vigancity.gov.ph
5.
Getting Around - The best way to explore Vigan is on foot; the city center is
small and compact, yet full of excitement. Experience a calesa ride around Vigan
at P150.00 per hour per carriage. – Via http://www.vigancity.gov.ph
6. If you
are in Vigan City, there are lots of transportation, you can ride the tricycle
or the “kalesa”, horse drawn carriage. The “kalesa” can be rented at Php 100 per
hour.

Historic Town of Vigan @ UNESCO
Established in the 16th
century, Vigan is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town
in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from
elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture
and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia.http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/502
*
Thanks to Governor Chavit Singson for inviting us to tour around Vigan City

Read my complete Vigan travel blog
series
for any questions or inquiries, feel free to email me at azrael@gmail.com